By Dr BKS Sanjay
Until we set a goal, one cannot achieve anything. Rastriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) was born with this motto — to contribute to nation-building and to serve the motherland. Today, RSS is the largest organisation in the world. It was founded on Vijayadashami in 1925, which fell on 25th September that year. The importance of Vijayadashami has been deeply etched in the Indian mind since ancient times. It signifies the victory of Maryada Purushottam Shri Ram’s sena over the wicked Ravana.
The ideology of RSS is based on discipline, dedication, sacrifice, and renunciation. RSS provides physical, mental, and spiritual training based on Hindu philosophy. There is no other organisation in the world of this scale and nature. RSS has gone through many ups and downs, including being banned in 1927 by the British and again in 1948, 1975, and 1992 by the Government of India. Despite these challenges, the Sangh has grown into a powerful organisation, contributing significantly to national rejuvenation. It has over 50 subsidiary organisations and nearly 5 million members that are active not only across India but also around the world. RSS is a non-political, socio-cultural organisation that has influenced Indian politics. It has voiced its opinion on all major issues like the India-Pakistan Partition, JP Movement, Mandal Commission agitation, Babri Masjid demolition, and Ram Mandir construction, etc.
According to the current Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, RSS is working on the character-building of Indian youth. The goals of RSS are to preserve Indian culture and to serve the motherland with a selfless motive. He believes that individual and societal development can go hand in hand, paving the way for collective progress and prosperity. RSS is dedicated to shaping individuals, who in turn, are responsible for building society and the nation.
Renunciation and sacrifice are the roots of RSS’s strength, power, and invincibility. Only love born out of sacrifice can inspire us to serve our fellow citizens. RSS was born out of compassion and adopts a humanistic approach in all its activities. Swayamsevaks believe in the concept of unity in diversity, while always keeping nationalism in mind. For every swayamsevak, the nation comes first. The Sangh is a self-supported organisation, financially sustained by voluntary contributions of Swayamsewak in the form of Guru Dakshina.
Unlike most organisations that place importance on individuals, RSS does not revere any individual or mythical figure. Instead, it considers the Bhagwa Dhwaj (saffron flag) to be the eternal Guru. Humans are mortal and flawed, but the flag is pure like truth. I salute the Bhagwa Dhwaj.
RSS is not confined to one place, community, or area. It has reached every nook and corner of the country, as reflected in the presence of over 50 thousand shakhas across the world. Dr Hedgewar believed that every child of Bharatavarsha is a potential Vivekananda or Tilak. RSS strives to unfold this potential in every son and daughter of India. It is an uphill task and a revolutionary idea. Looking at the current scenario, the many former and current swyamsewaks like Sirsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have made the reality of the vision of the founders of the Sangh.
I believe that, if the founder and guardian of an institution is a dedicated physician and teacher, such institutions will surely progress by leaps and bounds. Over the past 100 years of continuous journey, the visions and dreams of the Sangh’s ancestors are being realised through the leadership and dedication of millions of former RSS members, such as Dr Keshav Hedgewar and Madhav Golwalkar, and current volunteers, such as Sarsanghchalak Mohan Bhagwat, and a dedicated RSS volunteer and Prime Minister, Narendra Modi.
As the Sangh completes 100 years, in the context of this column, the author appeals with his poem ‘Our Mission: A Developed India’ to all Indians and descents of Indian spread all over the world to contribute toward building a Developed India (Viksit Bharat) and an Unified India (Akhand Bharat) in the times to come.
‘Our Mission: A Developed India’
Be patient, dear friend, just a while,
The night will soon pass,
And dawn is about to arise.
Darkness will soon disappear,
And light will spread everywhere.
Rise, let us uphold the nation’s pride,
And repay the debt of our motherland.
Let a developed India be our mission,
Let us join hands together.
Let us move forward in unison,
Leaving behind mere indulgence,
Let us work together with purpose.
Let this mantra echo in every home,
Let the tricolour rise, let us be fearless.
Let us march forward on this path,
We must show this strength.
For our great nation, the golden era,
We must fulfil this duty.
The night is about to end,
The dawn is near.
The dark age is passing away,
The golden age is about to arrive.
March ahead, O Indians,
March ahead, O descendants of Bharat!
(Dr BKS Sanjay is an orthopaedic and spine surgeon, academician, author, poet, columnist and social worker. A recipient of the Padma Shri award, he was recently appointed President of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Guwahati).
